Letterbox
Letterbox
Birth family contact
Most children will benefit from continuing relationships with people who are important in their lives. This could be a foster carer who has looked after them for a long time and/or a relative such as a birth parent, grandparent, brother, or sister.
Relationships can be maintained in a variety of ways and full consideration will be given at every stage by the child’s social worker, and others, including adopters once identified, to look at what would be in the best interests of the child. Consideration is given to how this might affect the child and their adoptive family in the short and long term.
In most cases 'letterbox' contact is offered. Every plan will differ, but we are there to support you.
For further information about contact within adoption we advise you research the modernizing contact agenda.
What is Letterbox?
Letterbox contact is where letters and possibly photographs, are exchanged between adopters and birth parents at set times each year. This is done via our in-house letter box service, supported by our contact coordinators which help to ensure confidentiality, monitoring, and security. The letterbox agreement sets out the indirect contact arrangements which have been agreed when a child has been adopted. Adoptive parents, children, birth relatives and significant others can be included in the agreement to maintain relationships in this way.
The adoption letterbox service is managed by our adoption support service for children placed for adoption by Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Tameside and Rochdale and is a way of exchanging information securely on behalf of adopted children. It enables children and adoptive families to have indirect contact with birth relatives, and other significant people from their past, by an agreed exchange of information updates.
In most cases 'letterbox' contact is offered. Every plan will differ, but we are there to support you.
For further information about contact within adoption we advise you research the modernising contact agenda.
How to contact the letterbox team
Phone letterbox contact team: 01204 336166
Email letterbox contact team: Letterbox@adoptionnow.org.uk
Postal address for letters and exchanges:
Adoption Now Letterbox
PO BOX 391
Bolton
BL1 9AS